Never again November 21, 2006

Today’s headline news came as a relief – something I find happening less and less frequently. It appears that Silvio Berlusconi, leader of the center-right political alliance and former premier of Italy twice (1994 and 2001-2005) will not run as premier again. In an interview on the italian newspaper “Libero”, Berlusconi declares he is fed up with the premiership. He also states he already has a name for his substitute – one of his clones, I figure – but he will not reveal it now.

Minutes after the interview was public came a declaration by Berlusconi’s speaker Paolo Bonaiuti: “Berlusconi has not given any interview to any journalist”.

The truth, as always, is probably in the middle: Berlusconi did speak to the journalist, informally, and the latter collected his thoughts. To me, more interesting is to know that the man understands he needs to use his time otherwise. He did spend the summer writing a book of memoirs (“I just finished writing it. Real heavy work, in face of the baloney about my nights in disco dancings in Sardinia”). That is a very good idea, Silvio. Please make that a 12-volume serial. It would fit your image of a man whose every endeavour is a winner.